


Calculated Risk

by mintywrites



Category: Fargo (2014)
Genre: M/M, Softcore smut, a bit experimental writing style I think, angst angst angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-28
Updated: 2014-08-28
Packaged: 2018-02-15 02:54:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2213061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mintywrites/pseuds/mintywrites
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wrench and Numbers are sleeping together, but it grows into something more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Calculated Risk

Numbers didn’t know exactly how it happened. He hadn’t been drunk, but it had all happened so fast- one minute they were coming into their hotel room after a hit and the next he was clinging to Wrench for dear life with his head pushing into his pillow and his legs wrapped around Wrench’s waist. Numbers should have known better. He’d been flirting with Wrench for a while up until then, but he really shouldn’t have. They were professionals. Personal matters shouldn’t interfere with business, and they should never be intertwined with business. Wrench was the best partner he’d ever had, and he didn’t want to complicate things with sex. But he just couldn’t help himself.

After they were done, Numbers rolled out of bed and stumbled into the shower, washing away any residual feelings that may have been left over from their romp, and then tucked himself into the nice, crisp, clean bed across from where Wrench was laying, already fast asleep. Numbers knew he didn’t have to say it, but he decided to say it anyway over breakfast the next morning. _This is just sex._ He felt a small weight lift from his shoulders when he saw Wrench nod in agreement.

* * *

 

Wrench knew exactly how it happened. He had liked Numbers from the beginning of their partnership, from the day Numbers started learning sign language for him. They had become fast friends, and it wasn’t long before they were spending time with each other outside of work. Numbers hadn’t started flirting with him until fairly recently, but Wrench had been able to tell long ago that Numbers was feeling something for him as well. But Wrench knew that there was no place for feelings like these in the life of a hitman. When you’re using a fake driver’s license, paying for your meals with drug money, wanted in five states without even realizing it- every move you make is a risk. Choosing whether to pull over at this truck stop or the next could be the difference between making it home for Jeopardy or life in prison. And Wrench knew that sleeping with Numbers would be the biggest risk he could take, in both his professional and personal lives. But after watching his partner cheat death on their last hit, he knew that it was a risk worth taking, and he went for it.

Wrench stepped over towards Numbers, who was sitting on his motel bed untying his shoes after a long day. He sat down on the bed next to him, and watched Numbers’ face turn red as he leaned in towards his partner and pressed their lips together. Wrench smiled when he felt Numbers kiss back, and he grinned hungrily when Numbers laid back on the bed, pulling Wrench with him. It was over pretty quickly, and Wrench fell down onto the bed next to his partner, breathing still ragged and heavy, sweat pooling on the cheap sheets beneath him. He didn’t dare reach out to hold Numbers, as much as he wanted to. As far as cuddling or any of those other “couple-y” things went, he knew he needed to wait for Numbers to come to him. So when Numbers left to go wash up, Wrench rolled onto his side and pulled the covers over him, pretending to be asleep so as to make things less awkward for his partner.

He lay in wait for the bathroom door to open, and once he saw the light streaming from the doorway, he prayed to feel the mattress sink as his partner climbed back into bed with him. But that feeling never came, and he fell asleep with a heavy heart. The next morning at breakfast, Wrench was half-expecting Numbers to pretend like nothing had happened, or worse, tell him that nothing had happened. So even though _This is just sex_ wasn’t exactly what he had wanted to hear, it meant that there was a possibility that it would happen again. And that was good enough for Wrench.

* * *

 

When they were together, Numbers never wanted it to end. Wrench made him feel things he’d never felt before. It was like he was psychic, he knew exactly where to kiss him, exactly when to bite him, exactly how to touch him to drive him mad. Although, Numbers couldn’t be sure if it was that, or if just being kissed, bitten, and touched by his partner drove him mad, regardless of where or when or how it was done. Normally Numbers wouldn’t like being kissed in this type of situation- he’d had fuck buddies before, and he never let them kiss him. Sometimes Numbers felt the urge to stop him, to shake his head and give him a look saying _This is just sex, remember?_ But he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Wrench’s kisses were enchanting, and he never exhibited any affection towards Numbers outside of their motel room flings, so Numbers figured that his kisses were just one more small vice he could hold onto.

Usually when they were done, Numbers would immediately get up and take a shower. This wasn’t anything personal- Numbers almost always needed a shower right after sex because being sweaty made it a lot harder for him to fall asleep. He didn’t tell Wrench this. In some ways it was better if Wrench thought that his showers were an excuse for him to get out of bed. Sometimes he felt a twinge of sadness when he’d get up to shower, leaving his partner laying on the sweat-drenched bed, still panting and limp. But one night, after getting back from a really tough job and having an above-average fuck, Numbers found himself too tired to walk over to the shower. So he rolled onto the bed and fell asleep next to Wrench. Wrench didn’t touch him, didn’t kiss him, didn’t pull him close so they could fall asleep together. Numbers knew that this was a good thing, it made things less complicated between them, but a very small part of him wondered what it would feel like to have Wrench’s arms wrapped around him as he fell asleep.

* * *

 

When they were together, Wrench never wanted it to end. Being able to kiss Numbers gave him an indescribable feeling of ecstasy, and he made sure to take advantage of it whenever he got the chance. The first few times they were together, they only kissed once or twice during foreplay, but as their affair continued, Wrench began to test the waters more and more, dragging out his kisses longer and longer, moving from Numbers’ lips to his neck to his chest and torso. Each time Wrench expected Numbers to stop him, to shake his head and give him a look saying _This is just sex, remember?_ But he never did, so Wrench kept kissing him.

His kisses said all the things that Wrench had been wanting to tell Numbers for the past few months- _I love you. I need you. I want to be with you. I’ll wait as long as you need me to. Right now I’m just happy to be able to kiss you._ Wrench always felt disappointed when Numbers got up to shower after they were done. He always hoped that tonight was the night that Numbers wouldn’t want to wash away what had just happened, and he wouldn’t want to sleep alone in the other bed.

Finally one night Wrench’s prayers were answered. He was laying on his back, breathing heavily as he came down from his orgasm with his hands still clamped onto Numbers’ hips. He released his grip as he felt the smaller man climb down off of him, but instead of stepping onto the floor to head for the bathroom, Numbers flopped down on the bed next to Wrench, leaving almost a foot of space between them. Wrench wanted nothing more than to touch him, to kiss him, to pull him close so they could fall asleep together, but he knew it was a bad idea. Pushing Numbers into something he wasn’t comfortable with was the worst thing Wrench could do, he would only end up scaring Numbers away. But Wrench had this to be thankful for, getting to share a bed with the man he loved. So he watched from afar as his partner’s breathing became more even and deep as he fell asleep.

* * *

 

Numbers couldn’t believe he’d been so stupid. Stupid to flirt, stupid to fuck, stupid to think that he and Wrench should be anything beyond business associates. He had let things get out of hand, and now he was going to have to face the consequences. The night started out like any other- Numbers was over at Wrench’s apartment after a hit. After shrugging off his coat and making eyes at Wrench, it didn’t take long for the two of them to end up on Wrench’s bed with their clothes scattered across the floor. Up until then, Numbers had never kissed Wrench anywhere but his lips, but something inside him drove him to climb on top of the other man and kiss him along his chest, sucking and biting, eager to make Wrench feel as good as he made Numbers feel. After a minute or two, Wrench couldn’t take it anymore, and he flipped Numbers over onto his back.

Numbers buried his face in the crook of Wrench’s shoulder as his mind began to go blank. His breathing grew heavy, and without even knowing it, the words “I love you” slipped from his lips. Numbers realized his mistake as soon as he made it. He knew Wrench couldn’t hear it, but he didn’t care. He had said it, and he could never take it back. After it was all over, Numbers lay there for a few moments, allowing the control of his brain functions to return to him. He felt Wrench place a hand around his waist, pulling at him lightly, but Numbers quickly pulled the hand off of him before standing up from the bed and heading into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.

For the first minute or two of his shower, Numbers stood with his head in his hands, neglecting to actually wash himself. He had never felt this awful before- his mind was racing, and yet it was as if he wasn’t thinking anything at all. Did he love Wrench? Of course he didn’t. He didn’t love anyone, he’d never loved anyone. He couldn’t love anyone. And he especially couldn’t love Wrench. He quickly shampooed his hair and ran a bar of soap across his body before exiting the shower and drying himself off.

When Numbers left the bathroom, Wrench was sitting up in his bed, looking at Numbers with an apologetic expression. Wrench began to sign, but Numbers turned his head to where his clothes were resting on the floor. He pulled them on as quickly, yet calmly, as he could. Once he was dressed, Numbers turned towards the door, making sure not to look at Wrench as he walked out. He stepped quickly down the stairs of Wrench’s building and out the door before climbing into his car. He turned the radio on as loud as he could bear and started driving in no particular direction. Numbers didn’t know what he was doing or where he was going, he just knew he needed to get as far away from his partner as he could.

* * *

 

Wrench couldn’t believe he’d been so stupid. Stupid to think that fucking his business partner, his best friend, could lead to anything more than just fucking. But he had been so sure that Numbers was falling for him. In the past few weeks, they had begun to continue their affair outside of the context of a motel room. Numbers would still get up to take a shower after they had sex, but when he was done, he’d get back into bed with Wrench before falling asleep. Wrench still kept his hands to himself, though. He wanted to wait for a more concrete sign before he tried to hold Numbers in his arms. But that night, as if the gods were listening, he got his sign.

Wrench had invited Numbers over, and he was barely through the door when Numbers looked over at Wrench, the top two buttons of his shirt undone, his mouth slightly open and his eyes silently beckoning Wrench to join him. Wrench quickly closed the space between them and kissed his partner, and his eyes widened when he felt Numbers lead Wrench towards his bedroom. Numbers tugged off Wrench’s shirt before pushing him lightly down onto the bed, and Wrench gulped as he watched the older man climb on top of him. Numbers kissed him softly and tenderly, in a way that Wrench had never felt Numbers kiss before. He gasped as Numbers’ mouth began to move down his neck and onto his chest. Wrench couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt this way. Numbers had always been responsive- he had even taken charge a few times- but never in such a passionate, loving way. This was it. His sign. Numbers really did care about him, beyond the business, beyond friendship, beyond fucking. Wrench couldn’t be sure, but he wanted to believe that Numbers loved him.

Soon Wrench was so aroused, he could barely stand it, and he flipped Numbers over on his back and kissed him hungrily. He had never wanted Numbers so badly- he had gotten a taste of the pleasure his partner could bring him and now it was time to return the favor. He felt Numbers’ lips against his shoulder as he slowly thrust in and out of him, getting faster and faster until his mind went blank. He fell over onto the bed next to his partner. After catching his breath, Wrench rolled onto his side, looking over at Numbers as he put out a hand, reaching it gingerly around Numbers’ waist. Wrench began to scoot his body over to Numbers so that he could pull his partner towards him, but the smile quickly disappeared from his face when Numbers pulled his hand off of him and got up swiftly, heading straight to the shower.

Wrench was steeped in sadness and regret. He knew this was just what Numbers did, he got up to shower after sex. But what if he freaked Numbers out? What if Numbers wanted to sleep on the couch? What if he wanted to pretend like it had never happened? Wrench sat up with his back against the headboard, and when Numbers stepped out of the shower and turned to him, Wrench began his apology. _I’m sorry I tried to-_ But Numbers had already ducked down to pick up his clothing. Wrench’s eyes widened in shock as he watched his partner dress himself and walk out the door without so much as looking at him.

Wrench felt his whole world crashing around him. He liked to think he could predict his partner’s actions pretty well, and he had the aching feeling he’d never see Numbers again. He knew that following him wouldn’t help anything- Numbers was most likely already down the street while Wrench was still naked on the bed, and even if Wrench caught him before he left, Numbers would probably leave anyway- he hated emotional confrontation. And even if Numbers did come back, there was no way he would want to continue this- whatever this thing was- with him. He had blown it. He’d taken a risk and lost everything. Wrench sank down onto his bed and cried himself to sleep.

* * *

 

When Numbers woke up the next morning, his first instinct was to look to see if his partner was sleeping next to him. He groaned as the events of the previous night came flooding back to him. He had driven late into the night, turning whichever way he felt like until he snaked his way back to his apartment at around three in the morning. He usually hated driving, but that night it made him feel liberated. Numbers could go anywhere he wanted. He could drive to the syndicate and ask them to send him off to another state. He could drive to Chicago and start a whole new life. He could drive to a cliff and jump off of it. If it had been anyone but Wrench, he probably would have done one of those things. But he didn’t, and he ended up back at his apartment, laying in bed, wishing he could just go back and time and undo those three words. If Numbers had other friends, he would get together with them to get his mind off his partner. But he didn’t, so he stayed put, agonizing over the one man in the world he could call his friend.

Numbers turned on the television to clear his head, but no matter what channel he flipped to, all of the programs reminded him of Wrench in one way or another. The infomercial about the fancy blenders reminded him of when he and Wrench tried some fad diet to lose fat and gain muscle mass by drinking two protein powder milkshakes a day. The news segment on the burglarized television store reminded him of the time Wrench had gone with him to pick out a new TV. Hell, even the cartoon about the fucking singing cow reminded him of the time Wrench pulled over to the side of the road to take a piss and a cow ended up wandering over towards him, and Wrench pet it for five fucking minutes. Numbers buried his head in his hands. Maybe he did love his partner after all.

Numbers sighed. Sleeping with your partner was one thing, but loving him just added another layer of risk to everything they did. He couldn’t begin to list all of the reasons it was a terrible idea, but he knew what the biggest one was. Feelings always complicated things. There was no way around it. Things were already weird on the job now that he and Wrench were fucking, it would only get weirder if they were in love on top of it. But he didn’t really have a choice in that matter, he already loved Wrench. Crap. He loved Wrench. This was getting way out of hand. Numbers flipped the channel again, only to land on an episode of Friends where Phoebe gets the chicken pox. It reminded him of the time when Wrench was bedridden with the flu and needed Numbers to take care of him. He sighed as he stood up and turned the TV off. He didn’t know what he wanted, but he knew he wanted to be with Wrench, and he was willing to take every risk that went along with it.

* * *

 

When Wrench woke up the next morning, his first instinct was to look to see if his partner was sleeping next to him. He sighed and brought his hands to cover his face as the events of the night before came flooding back to him. Wrench was completely void of energy. His limbs felt heavier than they ever had, and his arms slumped back down to his sides. He lay there like that, staring at the ceiling, replaying what had happened last night. Wrench felt like he was going to cry. He was so stupid. He couldn’t believe himself- he had been so good. He had waited so long, been so patient with Numbers. But he just couldn’t help himself, he needed to hold Numbers. He was so selfish. Wrench rolled over on his side and held his pillow in his arms. He would give anything to hold Numbers like this, just for a minute.

Wrench sighed. Numbers was probably in another state by now, starting a whole new life. But somewhere in his gut, he got the feeling that there was still a chance. Wrench pushed himself up out of bed and looked down at the clock. _10:39 am_. If Numbers had gone back to his apartment last night, he’d probably still be there. God knows Numbers loved to sleep in. Wrench considered weighing the risks of going to Numbers’ versus staying in his apartment, but he realized that there was no risk in either case, seeing as he had nothing to lose. He pulled on a shirt and a pair of jeans before heading out to his car.

* * *

 

Numbers headed over to the door, and as soon as he opened it, he was met face to face with Wrench, who has holding a hand up as if he was about to knock. Numbers had parked his car a few blocks over as he always did, so when Wrench arrived at his apartment, he had no idea whether he’d find his partner inside. Tears began to form in his eyes as he looked down at Numbers, who was reaching for his hand to pull him inside. Before Numbers had a chance to say anything, Wrench signed with deliberation, _I am so sorry. I made a mistake. It will never happen again. Please come back._

Numbers furrowed his brow, and he tilted his head in confusion. _What? What are you apologizing for?_

Wrench was taken aback. How could he not remember? _I, I tried to hold you. After we… last night, I… I thought…_

Numbers couldn’t even remember that happening. He must have been too caught up in his own head to notice. After a few moments, Numbers sighed.

_I didn’t leave because of that. I left because I realized that I love you. And that scared me. I didn’t know what to do, so I left. And I’m sorry, I really shouldn’t have. I should have stayed with you._

Wrench’s eyes widened as he watched his partner approach him and tilt his head up to give him a soft kiss. Wrench wrapped his arms around Numbers, holding him close. Numbers smiled. He felt safe in Wrench's arms. Numbers reached his hands up to drape around Wrench's shoulders. And this time, he was never letting go.


End file.
